What you’re looking at pictured here, is a very homely meal made for a mid-week dinner with no frills in presentation.
After all the food prepared for Passover and Easter it’s been great to get back to fuss-free and lighter food after being matza’ed out, and also having eaten my fair share of lamb, kneidlach (matzah balls) and a cholestrol-defying selection of cakes and sweet treats. Chicken schnitzel may be a relatively simple, almost humble dish, but it’s actually one of my favourites because I add a little parmesan to the crust and, instead of frying it, I cook it in the oven making it less oily.
Herby, parmesan crusted chicken schnitzels with baby potatoes and salad
Ingredients
(makes 4 portions)
For each person one large, skinless, deboned chicken breast
1 cup grated parmesan or pecorino
3/4 cup wholewheat flour
1 tbs finely chopped herbs (parsley/basil/oreganum)
1 egg
breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
Method
To prepare the chicken, flatten it out and gently pull away the little fillet from the main piece of flesh, without removing it. Take a mallet and beat each chicken portion or with a rolling pin and roll it back and forth until flattened slightly.
Whisk the egg and mix in the flour, parmesan, herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Get a baking tray ready and coat it with olive oil, but just enough to grease the pan.
Dip each chicken breast in your mixture and finally coat with breadcrumbs. Cook in 200 deg C oven until each side is browned but ensure you don’t dry them out and don’t overcook the chicken.
Boil about 500g baby potatoes until just done. Drain and cut each one in half and place in a lightly oiled baking tray, sprinkling the potatoes with a twist from the salt and pepper grinder. Put in the same heated oven and cook until browned.
For the salad, chop up whatever veggies are in your fridge. I used radishes, baby tomatoes and small cucumbers and a firm avocado. Leave the salad in a pile on your chopping board, dressing with a squirt of lemon juice and olive oil and season with fresh basil or other herbs and salt and pepper.